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Unique Ways the Travel Industry is Going Green by: Sam Marquit

Kameha Grand Bonn

Around the world the use of renewable energy has increased quickly, and will continue to do so, according to the International Energy Agency. Renewable energy is poised to beat out natural gas as the second most widely used energy source behind coal by 2016. Renewable energy is projected to increase by over 40% in the next five years, and is hands down the fastest growing mode of power generation. Due to this fact, many businesses are adapting renewable energy technology, especially the travel industry.

Wind Energy

A tornado in 2007 destroyed an entire community in Kansas, including one of the local hotels. The hotel owner was concerned that the community would not rebuild the hotel due to the amount of energy the hotel consumed, until the area found that wind turbines solved his problem. The hotel, now rebuilt and running green in several different areas, is using wind turbines to generate power. The single 100-foot turbine on the hotel property generates about half of the monthly power required to operate the hotel, about $2000 worth of power.

Solar Power

Even smaller, more luxury boutique type hotels are embracing renewable energy investments, particularly solar panels. One such hotel, a 16-room hotel offering many upscale options for their clients, recently invested $80,000 in solar panels. Since their installation, the energy costs have gone down 60% and saved them over $1000 a month. While it will take over a decade to see the return on the initial investment, the hotel firmly believes it is worth it.

Bio fuels

Over 22 Fairmont hotels all over the world have made the commitment to reduce waste output and contribute to a cleaner environment by using their kitchen oil into biodiesel. The Fairmont Hotel Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa collects approximately 150 gallons of oil every quarter and turn it into tallow or feed. Another Fairmont location turns their oil over to a local collection agency that uses the waste to make biodiesel for local vineyards. In Singapore, the Fairmont Hotel managed to save over $3,500 worth due to their oil by recycling over 6.49 tons in their first year of the project.

Geothermal

The Kahmea Grand Hotel in Germany relies almost entirely on geothermal heating and cooling by using a ground source heat pump. Six wells are on the property to be able to handle the heating and cooling year round. Water is pumped from 28 meters below the ground to heat and cool the 80,000 square meters of buildings on the lot. 100% of the cooling costs and 70% of the heating costs are provided by this geothermal method.

Reuse

Many hotels are troubled by the amount of kitchen waste the hotel produces. In order to balance the problem, many hotels such as the Taj Hotel’s Jai Mahal Palace in India are using the bio waste to feed biogas plants. At the Taj Hotel, guests are able to tour the facility that gathers the waste for recycling.

Aria Hotel Las Vegas

Renewable energy saves money and contributes to a clean environment. Traveling to see these cutting edge hotels will show your support for businesses that are implementing sustainable practices. It truly doesn’t matter the climate or location. Whether it’s the Vegas strip where green hotels such as the newly completed Aria at City Center are being built at a rapid pace or the mountains in Europe. Hotels are finding more efficient and innovative ways to go green.